Pivotable storage receptacle for kitchen utensils

ABSTRACT

A storage receptacle for kitchen utensils is provided. The storage receptacle comprises a base and a receiving portion for receiving at least a portion of at least one kitchen utensil. The receiving portion is pivotally attached to the base and is moveable between a first position and a second position through an intermediate position, the receiving portion forms an acute angle with the base when the receiving portion is in the second position. The receptacle further includes a locking mechanism provided to fix the receiving portion in the second position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a storage receptacle for kitchen utensils, andmore particularly to a storage receptacle which includes a receivingportion which is pivotally fixed with respect to its base so that thereceiving portion is enabled to be pivoted between at least twopositions so that the kitchen utensils may be stored at a substantiallyupright position and one or more angled positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Storage receptacles for kitchen utensils, that is knives, kitchen toolsand gadgets, are well known in the art. Many of the prior art storagereceptacles are constructed so that they may store a number of differenttypes of kitchen utensils and provide many different arrangements ofstoring kitchen utensils. There are also prior art storage receptaclesthat provide many different ways that a user can access the storedkitchen utensils. Two examples of prior art storage receptacles forkitchen utensils are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,361,915 and5,775,518. The devices described in both of those two patents utilizerotating carousels to store and provide easy access to the kitchenutensils.

As the number of kitchen utensils have grown in recent years, there isan increasing need to provide efficient storage of those utensils.Moreover, as the technology has advanced in kitchen appliances andgadgets, and the number of kitchen designs has grown, there is a need tomake more efficient use of the countertop space that is available inkitchens. Generally, prior art storage receptacles store kitchenutensils in a single fixed position, that is kitchen utensils are eitherstored at a substantially upright position or at an angled position.None of the prior art devices offer a user the choice of storing kitchenutensils either in the upright position or at an angled position.Because the prior art storage receptacles can only store kitchenutensils at one fixed position, many of the prior art receptacles cannotbe placed in certain locations around the kitchen.

For example, a storage receptacle that can only store kitchen utensilsin an upright position will not be able to be placed on a kitchencountertop that is directly under low cabinets. Similarly, a storagereceptacle which only stores kitchen utensils in an angled position willnot be able to be placed on a narrow kitchen countertop as the kitchenutensils will extend beyond the countertop. Thus, it would be desirableto have a receptacle for storing kitchen utensils which can be placed ina variety of different areas in a kitchen.

In addition, certain prior art storage receptacles for kitchen utensilsdo not provide any means for keeping the kitchen utensils spaced apartwhen they are stored, but rather the prior art storage receptacles storea plurality of kitchen utensils by bunching them together in a loose andunorganized manner. These types of prior art storage receptacles presentorganizational problems. Because the stored utensils are bunchedtogether, a user may not be able to immediately locate a desired kitchenutensil. Time is then wasted sorting though the various stored kitchenutensils to look for the specific utensil.

The present invention is provided to solve the problems discussed aboveand other problems, and to provide advantages and aspects not providedby prior storage receptacles for kitchen utensils. A full discussion ofthe features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to thefollowing detailed description, which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a storage receptacle for kitchenutensils. The storage receptacle is comprised of a base, a receivingportion and a locking mechanism. The receiving portion is provided forreceiving at least a portion of at least one kitchen utensil and ispivotally attached to the base. The receiving portion is moveablebetween a first position and a second position through an intermediateposition. In the second position, the receiving portion forms an acuteangle with the base. The locking mechanism is provided to fix thereceiving portion in the second position.

It will be appreciated that according to several aspects of the presentinvention, a number of embodiments of the storage receptacle may beprovided in which different locking mechanisms are employed. Accordingto one aspect of the present invention, the locking mechanism comprisesa detent for fixing the receiving portion in the second position.According to another aspect of the present invention, the receivingportion further comprises a slot for securably engaging a portion of thelocking mechanism so that the receiving portion is pivotally fixed inthe second position.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, thereceiving portion rests on the base forming a cavity therebetween whenthe receiving portion is in the first position.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the lockingmechanism is pivotable between a locked position and a collapsedposition. When the locking mechanism is in the collapsed position, thelocking mechanism is substantially encased within the cavity formed bythe base and receiving portion.

It should also be appreciated that the receiving portion of the presentinvention is not limited to being locked in a second position. Thepresent invention also includes embodiments in which the receivingportion can be fixed in a plurality of different angled positions.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the receivingportion includes a plurality of receiving apertures for storing a numberof kitchen utensils. The number of apertures can vary depending on thetype of kitchen utensils for which the storage receptacle will be used.Each aperture is spaced apart and each aperture can store one or moreutensils depending on the type of utensil. The spaced-apart aperturesenable the stored utensils to be stored in an organized manner and auser can easily access the stored utensils.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, a storagereceptacle is provided. The storage receptacle comprises a base, aplurality of receiving portions and a plurality of locking mechanismscorresponding to each of the receiving portions. Each receiving portionis able to hold at least one kitchen utensil and each is pivotallyattached to the base. Each receiving portion is moveable between a firstposition and a second position through an intermediate position whereineach receiving portion forms an acute angle with the base when thereceiving portion is in the second position. The locking mechanisms areprovided to pivotally fix a corresponding one of the plurality ofreceiving portions in the second position.

It will also be appreciated that one object of the present invention isto provide a relatively simple compact storage unit for storing kitchenutensils in a convenient, readily accessible housing. A further objectof the present invention is to provide a storage unit in which aplurality of kitchen utensils can be organized. Another object of thepresent invention is to provide a storage receptacle, which includes areceiving portion that is pivotally attached to a base so that kitchenutensils can be stored in an upright position or in one or more angledpositions. Because the present invention provides the choice of eitherstoring kitchen utensils at an upright position or at an angledposition, it provides advantages over prior art storage receptacles.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification taken in conjunction with the followingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention,wherein the receiving portion is in the first position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention,wherein the receiving portion is in the second position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention,wherein kitchen utensils are being held in an upright position by thestorage receptacle;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention,wherein kitchen utensils are being held at an acute angle relative tothe base of the storage receptacle;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention,wherein the storage receptacle includes a plurality of receivingportions in the first position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention,wherein the storage receptacle includes a plurality of receivingportions of which one receiving portion is shown in the first positionand another receiving portion is shown in the second position;

FIG. 7 is a partially cut away side view of one embodiment of thepresent invention which utilizes detents to pivotally fix the receivingportion in a second position; and,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understandingthat the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification ofthe principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broadaspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

The present invention is directed to a storage receptacle 10 which isused to store kitchen utensils. One embodiment of the present inventionis illustrated in FIG. 1. The storage receptacle includes a base 12 anda receiving portion 14 with the receiving portion 14 being pivotallyattached to the base 12. In the embodiment of the present inventionillustrated in FIG. 1, the receiving portion 14 is pivotally attached tothe base 12 by means of a hinge 16. However, it will be understood thatthe receiving portion 14 can be attached to the base 12 by any mechanismsuitable to provide a pivotable connection therebetween.

The receiving portion 14 includes one or more apertures 18 for receivingkitchen utensils. While FIG. 1 shows the apertures 18 being oval, theapertures 18 can be any shape that corresponds to the shape of a kitchenutensil, and more particularly a utensil handle.

As shown in FIG. 2, the receiving portion 14 can be pivoted from a firstposition into a second angled position in which the receiving portion 14forms an acute angle with respect to the base 12. The storage receptacle10 further includes a locking mechanism to maintain the receivingportion 14 in the second position. Although it is contemplated thatnumerous locking mechanisms can be used to lock the receiving portion 14into the second position, one embodiment of the present inventionemploys a lock and slot configuration for its locking mechanism as shownin FIG. 2. According to such an embodiment, a locking member 20 ispivotally attached to the base 12 of the storage receptacle. At least aportion of the locking member 20 is securably received into a groove orslot 22 disposed on the receiving portion 14 so that the receivingportion 14 is fixed in the second position. It should be appreciatedthat in other embodiments of the present invention, the lock and slotconfiguration can be reversed so that the slot 22 is disposed on thebase 12 and the locking member 20 is pivotally attached to the receivingportion 14.

Other embodiments of the present invention include locking mechanisms sothat the receiving portion 14 of the storage receptacle 10 can be fixedin a plurality of positions other than then the first position and thatthe present invention is not limited to second position in theabove-described embodiment.

In the present invention, kitchen utensils 24 are stored in the storagereceptacle 10 by placing the utensils 24 through the apertures 18 in thereceiving portion 14 as illustrated in FIG. 3. The base 12 can alsoinclude apertures 26 and each of those apertures 26 is associated with acorresponding aperture 18 of the receiving portion 14. The number ofapertures 18, 26 can vary depending on user preference or the type ofkitchen utensils 24 that will be stored in the storage receptacle 10.The stored kitchen utensils 24 extend through the apertures 18 of thereceiving portion 14 and additionally extend into the correspondingapertures 26 of the base 12 as illustrated in FIG. 4. When the receivingportion 14 is in the first position as shown in FIG. 3, the kitchenutensils 24 are stored in an upright position. When the receivingportion 14 is in the second position, the kitchen utensils 24 are storedin an angled position. FIG. 4 also shows the kitchen utensils 24 beingstored in an angled position.

In another embodiment of the present invention (not shown), the base 12of the storage receptacle 10 does not include apertures. In thatembodiment, the kitchen utensils 24 extend through the apertures 18 inthe receiving portion 14 and rest on the top surface 44 of the base 12of the storage receptacle 10.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the storage receptacle10 includes a plurality of receiving portions 28, 30. One suchembodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 illustrates thestorage receptacle 10 having two receiving portions 28, 30, and bothreceiving portions 28, 30 are shown in a collapsed position. FIG. 6illustrates one of the receiving portions 28 being pivotally fixed at anangled position. Any number of receiving portions 14, 28, 30 can be usedin the present invention, and the number of receiving portions 14, 28,30 is only limited by the size of the storage receptacle 10 and thetypes of kitchen utensils that are to be stored in a particular storagereceptacle 10.

As described above, there are numerous ways in which a locking mechanismcan be provided to pivotally fix the receiving portion 14 in an angledposition. FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrate one embodiment of the presentinvention where a locking member 20 is provided for pivotally fixing thereceiving portion 14 in an angled position. Another example of a lockingmechanism 32 is illustrated in FIG. 7, that locking mechanism 32includes the use of detents 34, 36 which can be used to pivotally fixthe receiving portion 14 in an angled position.

Although each of the storage receptacles 10 shown in the Figures areoval in shape, it should be appreciated that the shape of the storagereceptacle 10 can be an infinite variety of shapes and are allconsidered to be included in the present invention.

The receiving portion or portions 14 of the storage receptacle 10 in thepreferred embodiment includes a cavity that is formed by the top surface40 and sidewall 42 of the receiving portion so that when the receivingportion 14 is in the first closed position the cavity is fully enclosedby the top surface 44 of the base 12 and the top surface 40 and sidewall42 of the receiving portion 14.

While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described,numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing fromthe spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limitedby the scope of the accompanying Claims.

1. A storage receptacle for kitchen utensils comprising: a base; areceiving portion for receiving at least a portion of at least onekitchen utensil, the receiving portion being pivotally attached to thebase and being moveable between a first position and a second positionthrough an intermediate position, the receiving portion forming an acuteangle with the base when the receiving portion is in the secondposition; and, a locking mechanism provided to fix the receiving portionin the second position.
 2. The storage receptacle of claim 1, whereinthe locking mechanism comprises a locking member disposed on one ofeither the base and the receiving portion, the locking member beingprovided for pivotally fixing the receiving portion in the secondposition.
 3. The storage receptacle of claim 1, wherein the lockingmechanism comprises a detent for fixing the receiving portion in thesecond position.
 4. The storage receptacle of claim 1, wherein thereceiving portion further comprises a slot for securably engaging aportion of the locking mechanism so that the receiving portion ispivotally fixed in the second position.
 5. The storage receptacle ofclaim 1, wherein when the receiving portion is in the first position,the receiving portion rests on the base forming a cavity therebetween.6. The storage receptacle of claim 5, wherein the locking mechanism ispivotable between a locked position and a collapsed position, whereinwhen the locking mechanism is in the collapsed position the lockingmechanism is substantially encased within the cavity formed by the baseand receiving portion.
 7. The storage receptacle of claim 1, wherein thereceiving portion is adapted to receive a plurality of kitchen utensils.8. The storage receptacle of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism isadapted to pivotally fix the receiving portion in one of a plurality ofpositions, each position defining a different angle between thereceiving portion and the base.
 9. The storage receptacle of claim 1,wherein when the receiving portion is in the first position a utensilreceived therein is held in a substantially upright position and whenthe receiving portion is in the second position a utensil receivedtherein is held in an angled position relative to the base.
 10. Thestorage receptacle of claim 1, wherein the receiving portion includes aplurality of apertures, each of the apertures being spaced apredetermined distance one from the other.
 11. The storage receptacle ofclaim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises first and secondparallel members each having proximate and distal ends, and a transversemember extending between the proximate ends of the first and secondparallel members, the distal ends of each of the first and secondparallel members being pivotally coupled to one of either the base andthe receiving portion.
 12. A storage receptacle for kitchen utensilscomprising: a base; a plurality of receiving portions, each receivingportion being able to hold at least one kitchen utensil and eachreceiving portion being pivotally attached to the base, and eachreceiving portion being moveable between a first position and a secondposition through an intermediate position wherein each receiving portionforms an acute angle with the base when the receiving portion is in thesecond position; and a plurality of locking mechanisms corresponding toeach of the receiving portions, the locking mechanisms being provided topivotally fix a corresponding one of the plurality of receiving portionsin the second position.
 13. The storage receptacle of claim 12, whereinat least one of the plurality of locking mechanisms comprises a lockingmember disposed on one of either the base and the receiving portion, thelocking member being provided for pivotally fixing the receiving portionin the second position.
 14. The storage receptacle of claim 12, whereinat least one of the plurality of locking mechanisms comprises a detentfor fixing the receiving portion in the second position.
 15. The storagereceptacle of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality ofreceiving portions further comprises a slot for securably engaging aportion of the locking mechanism so that the receiving portion ispivotally fixed in the second position.
 16. The storage receptacle ofclaim 12, wherein when each of the plurality of receiving portion is inthe first position, the receiving portions rest on the base forming acavity therebetween.
 17. The storage receptacle of claim 16, wherein atleast one of the plurality of locking mechanisms is pivotable between alocked position and a collapsed position, wherein when the lockingmechanisms are in the collapsed position the locking mechanisms aresubstantially encased within the cavity formed by the base and receivingportions.
 18. The storage receptacle of claim 12, wherein at least oneof the plurality of locking mechanisms is adapted to pivotally fix acorresponding one of the receiving portions in one of a plurality ofpositions, each position defining a different angle between thereceiving portions and the base.
 19. The storage receptacle of claim 12,wherein at least one of the plurality of receiving portions includes aplurality of apertures, each of the apertures being spaced apredetermined distance one from the other.
 20. The storage receptacle ofclaim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of locking mechanismscomprises first and second parallel members each having proximate anddistal ends, and a transverse member extending between the proximateends of the first and second parallel members, the distal ends of eachof the first and second parallel members being pivotally coupled to oneof either the base and one of the plurality of receiving portion.